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Trade agreements as means to enhance & enforce labour regulations

Trade agreements as means to enhance & enforce labour regulations. Norwegian Ministry of Labour Oslo, 9th Feb 2010 Gunelie Winum, Project Manager, ETI-Norway. What is ethical trade?.

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Trade agreements as means to enhance & enforce labour regulations

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  1. Trade agreements as means to enhance & enforce labour regulations Norwegian Ministry of Labour Oslo, 9th Feb 2010 Gunelie Winum, Project Manager, ETI-Norway

  2. What is ethical trade? • Trade which respects and promotes human rights, labour rights, development and environment in the supply chain • Continuous improvements, not compliance guarantee “It is an Utopian notion that poverty can be overcome without the active engagement of business” Kofi Annan

  3. About ETI-Norway Cooperation for trade which respects and promotes human rights, labour rights, development and environment Membership, non-profit based alliance of companies, trade unions, NGOs, employers’ associations and public sector Open to all sectors (P.t. 117 members) Commitment to Declaration of Principles, including - Adopt ETI-Norway Base Code, disseminate to supply chain - Annual report on implementation progress – publicly available Enable members to meet ethical requirements through Capacity building both at home and in supply chain Extensive network of local resources who can assist in improvements

  4. ETI-Norway Base Code Based on UN & ILO Conventions & Recommendations Basis: Follow national laws and regulations Prevent & remediate forced labour Prevent & remediate Child Labour Prevent & remediate Discrimination Respect & promote Right to organise and Collective Bargaining Promote Secure workplaces (OHS) Promote living wage Promote regular employment Prevent & remediate harsh treatment Prevent & remediate excessive working hours Promote & respect local communities Promote & respect environment

  5. Labour rights violations – some root causes Production management: Competing about foreign customers, insufficient knowledge of duties as employer Workers: Little knowledge of rights as employee, weak/lacking channels for dialgoue and collective agreements (trade unions, worker committees) and collective bargaining agreements) Western companies: Pressure on price and production time, majority is not concerned about improving conditions Local goverments: Lack will or ability to enforce laws, weak institutional capacity to follow up, competition about foreign capital (”Governance Gap” John Ruggie, UN)

  6. Governments role in improving labour conditions • UN Special Representative John Ruggie • ”Protect, Respect, Remediatie” • UK Gareth Thomas, DFID Minister • Protect the rights of people who produce the goods which trade depends on • Use trade to promote sustainable low-carbon development • Special attention to those who suffer from globalisation • China Nike vs. AmCham China Labour Contract Law (2008) • India GAP & other brands: Joint remediation efforts with India Ministry of Woman and Child to combat child labour ETI Code of labour practice: “Do workers really benefit”(Institute of Dev. Studies, University of Sussex, 2006)

  7. Operational capacity building Norw Govt. Decent Work Strategy Capacity building of Labour inspectorates - Sectors - Regions

  8. responsible supply chain management www.etiskhandel.no

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